This week’s Torah portion, Pekudei, tells the story of completion. It recalls the moment when the Israelites finished building the Mishkan, the portable dwelling place of the Divine, that would accompany them through the wilderness. The portion begins with a detailed accounting of every thread, every precious metal, every heartfelt contribution used to create the holy space.
The Israelites discovered that the Divine presence wasn’t confined to mountaintops or the lofty heavens – rather the Divine would travel with them, dwell among them, breathe with them along their journey. The construction of the structure was a profound transformation in the understanding of sacred space. Holiness is not stationary. The Divine presence can dwell wherever we create space for it. The book of Genesis begins with God creating the world as a home for humankind. The book of Exodus ends with human beings, the Israelites, creating the Mishkan as a home for God.
The wilderness experience demanded innovation. The Mishkan represented not just a physical structure but a new way of being in relationship with the Divine. Throughout our history we have carried our traditions with us while adapting to new circumstances. We’ve experienced innovation of practice and ritual across generations. We strive to be responsive to the times in which we live, inspired by the values and teachings that sustain us and guide us along our journey.
This Shabbat we are blessed to welcome Rabbi Danny Schiff as our scholar in residence. During my first year of Rabbinical school, I had the privilege of learning with him around his Shabbat table in Jerusalem and was inspired by his deep love of Judaism and Jewish learning. His teaching is always thought-provoking, and he is not afraid to challenge conventional thinking. Tonight he will focus on how the wisdom of our tradition speaks to contemporary challenges and how an ancient tradition confronts a modern era.
Throughout our history, we have carried our tradition with us like the Mishkan, adapting to new circumstances while remaining deeply rooted in our values, our faith and our Torah. We have continually reimagined how to live Jewishly, to navigate the complexities of identity and practice in our modern world so we may lead lives of meaning and purpose. We are participants in the ongoing evolution of a tradition that is responsive to our time and place, yet eternally connected to the covenant of our ancestors.
Rabbi Shai Held offers a teaching in response to the completion of the Mishkan, “God says to Moses and the Israelites: I made you a place to live; now you make one for me.” Judaism is not merely a set of ancient customs but a living framework for how we might lead lives that invite God’s presence into our world. The innovation of the Mishkan was not its creation, rather, that it made the Divine presence intimate, portable and within reach of humanity. We are blessed to be inheritors of a tradition that is rooted and responsive, deeply connected and adaptable, and where ancient wisdom sparks modern thought and an innovative spirit.
“This is my sanctuary,
This place of wood and stone,
But my holiness flows through you,
As you walk through the world.
Carry my voice in your heart,
My wisdom in your hands,
My justice in your deeds,
My compassion in your eyes.
For you are my dwelling place,
My portable sanctuary,
Building me anew
In every generation.”
– Alden Solovy
As we conclude a book of Torah we say, Chazak, Chazak, V’nitcahzek; Let us be strong, let us be strong and let us strengthen one another.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Laila Haas
